Power take-off mechanism



vJune 20, 1944.

H. R. VAN vLEcK POWER TAKE-OFF MECHANISM Filed July 9, 1942 Patented June "UNITED STATES@ ivii'ilsiirl` .,oFFlci;V l

, ...Wittem y Boracens'svan Vleek, Upper lIontclainNJ.

,micsticnsniya ma, serial No. mais f 1s omini.v (ci. ses-s) equipped with either mechanically 'operatedl or concerned with the provision of animproved '-power take-oi! operating mechanism designed to assure maximum safety in the operation of the power take-ofi on a truck or other vehicle..

Vehicles such, for example, as oil or other liq- .uid-carrying trucksare advantageously provided with a power take-ofi' mechanism by means of I .which the power of the engine may be used to compressed air-operated brake-setting means and with correspondingly operated actuating means for the selective couplingA means. In a vehicle in which compressed air operates both the brakes vand the power .take-oil, the power take-ofi actuv ating means and the brake-setting means are.

connected (for example, by anair line through which'compressed air passes to both the actuatdrive pumps for delivery of the oil or other liquid,

or for operating other mechanism with which the vehicle is equipped.l The power Vtakeofi mechanism advantageously is connected to the 'drive shaft of the engine. between the engine drive shaft and the propeller shaft leading to the differential gearing. A power take-oi! so connected.: is described in my copending application Serial No. 399,625, nled June 25, 194i.

'Ihe power take-ofi' described in my said application is of such construction that it may s et in operationonly when the vehicle wheels are disconected from the engine, thus avoiding the possibility of driving the vehicle while thepower take-of! is being used to operate oil-delivery "pumps or other vehicle mechanism. However, it

not infrequently happens that lthe vehicle Aopera.- tor must leave the vehicle while the power takeoi! is in operation. When left unattended. there isthe possibility that the vehicle might by itself vroll downhill from the place where it is parked.

especially if the vehicleparking brakes are not properly set, or if they are mischievously released. 'I'he present invention provides an improved l power take-oi! operating mechanism so designed that when it is actuated t0 set the power take-of! in operation. it coincidentally sets the vehicle 'air line to the brake-setting means.

ing means and the brake-setting means) in such manner ,that whenever compressed air is supplied. 4tu the actuating means to actuate the selective coupling means and thereby connect thel engine and thepowertake-oilrcompressed air is also suppliedtc the brake-setting means to set-the brakes. A convenient arrangement involves the provision-of an'air line connecting the vehicles' source` 0i compressed air with the operating mechanism for actuating the selective, coupling` means. and a second air line connecting the first In an advantageous embodiment ot the invenl- .tion in a vehicle equipped with airfb'rakes, an

brakes. The mechanism of the invention thus adds to the safety with which the power take-oi! .maybe used. i Briey stated, the inventionprovides in a vehicle fhaving an cugina-driving wheels, a power take-rot, means for selectively coupling the engine with either the power take-oi! or the driving wheels, brakes for the wheels. and means for setting the brakes, the limprovement which comprises interconnecting said selective coupling means and said brake-setting means in:

such manner that the brake-settinglmeans are necessarily actuated to set the brakes whenever the selective coupling means are in position to ycouple the engine to the power take-lofi.

The invention may-be applied to a vehicleliii` air line connects the source of compressed air with the mechanism for" actuating the yselective coupling means, and a second air line. in which v a double-action check valve is interposed, c onnects thev first air linefwith the brakegsetting means.v A brake control valve connected to the compressed air source may then-be connected by a third air line to the double-action check'vulve.4 so that compressed air-may ben admittedto thev brake-setting means through the control valve and the check valve without being4 admitted vto the selective coupling actuating device. and compressed air may be'admitted through the first airline to the actuating mechanism for the selective coupling and to' the brake-setting means without escaping through the brake control valve.

A three-way valve having avent to the atmosphere may be interposedin the first air line. so

' that when thevalve is open. vcompressed air passes to both the actuating mechanism forthe selective coupling means and to the brake-setting means. and when the valve is closed. compressed airis allowed to escape through the vent from both'the actuating mechanism and fromthe brake-setting means. 1 y

In the case of a vehicle having mechanically operated-actuating means for the power take-oi! and brakes operated mechanically (by means oi' 'a brake rod, for example),the actuating means ismechanically connected by a suitable'rod tothe brake rod.- the connection being made in such manner that whenever theactuating means is, l

operated through said connecting rod to actuate the selective coupling means and thereby connect the engine to the power take-olf. the brake rod or other brake-setting means is also operated to set the brakes. In a vehicle of this character the actuating means for the power take-olf and the brake rod may be interconnected by an equalizer rod. The equalizer rod, for example, may be connected at one end to the actuating means and at the other end to the brake rod. A shift rod may then be connected' to the central portion of the equalizer rod so that whenever the shift rod is operated to move the equalizer rod in a direction to actuate the power take-oil, the brake rod simultaneously is moved in a direction to set the s brakes.

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of advantageous embodiments, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic plan of the chassis. of a vehicle equipped with a power take-oil and compressed air-operated actuating means therefor in accordance with the invention; and

Fig. 2 is a tic plan of the chassis of a vehicle equipped according to the invent-ion with mechanically operated power take-off and brakes.

. Referring first to the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1, the vehicle chassis comprises the usual frame members I supported by front wheels II and rear wheels I2. `An engine I3 is mounted at the front of the frame. The A* Y engine drive shaft I4 connects with the usual tron gearing Il. and the drive shaft IB from the transmission extends rearwardly to the power take-off. indicated generally at I1. Rearwardly of the power take-olf is the usual universal coupling I3 which is connected by the usual propeller shaft I3 to the rear wheel differential 20, through which the rear wheels I2 are driven.

The power take-oi! as shown in the drawing comprises a toothed clutch member v2| splined on the drive shaft Il so that it will rotate therewith but is slidable therealong. Clutch teeth are formed on both side facesof this clutch member. c

The rear end 22 ofthe tron drive shaft I3 is of reduced diameter and is iournaled in a corresponding recess in the adjacent end of a short drive shaftv23 connected to the universal coupling I3. A toothed clutch member 24 is securely fastened to the end of the shaft 23 adjacent the reduced end 22 of the drive shaft It.

A bevel gear 25 is journaled on the shaft I3 so as to be rotatable thereabout, -but is held in a suitable housing to prevent-it from sliding therealong. The bevel gear A25 is formed with a toothed clutch portion 26 facing toward the clutch members 2I and 24. A bevel pinion 21 engazing with the bevel gear 25 is connected to a power take-of! shaft 23, by means of which auxiliary equipment (pumps or the like) may be driven.

A clutch fork 29 engages the clutch member 2 I. By pulling the fork to the rear. the clutch mem: ber 2I engages the corresponding toothed clutch member 24 on the shaft 23, and thereby the engine is connected to the rear wheels through the universal coupling I8. the propeller shaft I9,

and the differential 2li. When the fork is pushed forward, the clutch member 2l is caused to slide along vthe splines of the shaft I6, dlsengaging it vfrom the clutch member 24 and causing it to engage with the toothed clutch member formed on the bevel gear I1, whereby the engine is disenthe chamber 3l.

gaged from the rear driving wheels and is connected through the bevel gear 25 and pinion 21 to the power take-oi! shaft 23. It will be noted that through this mechanism the engine may be connected selectively either to the rearwheels or to the power take-off shaft, but not to both at the same time. v

The fork 29 is operated to slide the clutch member 2l forward along the shaft- I8 into engagement with the clutch member 20 on the bevel gear by means of a shaft 30 connected to a diaphragm in a. compressed air chamber 3I. When compressed air is admitted to the chamber 3|. the shaft 30 is pushed forwardly to move the fork 29 and the clutch 2| into engagement with the bevel gear clutch 26. The fork 29 and clutch member 2I are retracted or drawn to the rear, so that the clutch member 2I engages the corresponding clutch member 24, by means of a spring 32 whenever the compressed air is released from The above-described apparatus is such that whenever compressed air under sufilcient pressure is admitted to the chamber 3I the engine is connected to the power take-off shaft, and when the compressed air is released from the chamber 3l, the engine may be `connected to the rear driving wheels.

The vehicle chassis shown in Figure l is 'equipped with brakes which are set by supplying compressed air to compressed air chambers 33. (Only two compressed air chambers 23 for actuating rear wheel brakes are shown in the drawing, but it is apparent that any desired number of brakes and air chambers therefor` may be provided.) The compressed air for operating the brakes and the power take-oi! clutch 2l is derived from a compressor 34. The compressor delivers compressed air through an air line 35 to a tank 38. A governor 31 connected between the tank and the compressor serves to maintain the air pressure in the tank 38 substantially constant. Compressed air from the tank 36 passes to' a second tank 38 through an air line 39 and check valve 40.

The pressure of the compressed air in the tank 34 is indicated by an air pressure gauge 4I connectedtothetankbyanairline 42. Anair line 43 is connected through a three-way valve cock 44 to the air line 42, and this air line serves to convey compressed air from the tank 33 to the air chamber 3l for actuating the power take-off. Connected to the air line 43 is an air line 4l leading to a double-action check valve 44. An air line 41 leads from the double-action check valve to the air chambers 33 by means of which the vehicle brakes are set.v

The above-described arrangement of air lines is such that whenever the valve 44 is 'open to admit compressed air from the air 'tank 34 through the air line 43 to the air chamber -3I for actuating the power take-off, compressed air also flows through the air line 4B-to the lcheck valve'48 and therethrough to the air chambers 33, causing the vehicle brakes to be set. Thus,

whenever the power take-oi! is set in operation,

assunse atmospheric pressure. The power vtake-oi! is thereby disengaged by action of the spring l2. and at the same time the vehicle brakes are released. t

For normal operation of the vehicle brakes, an air line 4I connects the air tank il with the usual foot-pedal-operated brake-control valve Il. An air line 5i connects the brake-control valve with 4the double-action check valve 4l. This check valve contains a floating plug l2 which may slide to either end of the valve body. shutting olf the connection made to the valve body at that end. However, the plug l2 does not shut oi! the connection of the air line 41 made to the central portion of the valve body.

When the valve cockv is in the ofi-position and the brake-control valve Il is open, compressed air passing through the air line 5i forces the plug 52 to the end of the check valve body at which the air line 4l is connected. The air line Il is thus blocked off. and a free passage is provided for compressed air from the air line Bil through the check valve and through the air line 41' to the brake actuatingair chambers Il. Thus with the valve cock u closed, the brake may be operated in the usual manner by manipulation of the foot-control valv'ejl.` When-the vehicle isparked and the valve cock M is open in order to engage the power take-off, compressed air passing through the air line I5 forces the plug I2 in the double-action check valve to the end at -which the air luxe Ilr is connected. thereby blocking oi! this air line. Rree passage of air from the air line 4I is thus provided through the check valve to the air line 41. while escape of the compressed air through the" air line Il to the brakecontrol valve vent is prevented. ,Y

If desired. the valve cock u may be provided with a padlock or other form oi' key-operated .lock so that it may bej securely locked in the position effecting operation of the power-takeolf drive shaft and setting of the vehicle brakes,

"or in the-position effecting disengagement of the power take-off. Pr l on of such a lock prevents unauthorized 'pering with the power take-oi! control means iwhen the vehicle operatory is away from the vehicle. It is particularly the power take-oi! housing. (InlFig. 2 the fork arm is shown projecting to theleft of the power take-off housing, rather than to the right as in Fig. 1.) By moving the shifting fork arm 1l forward with respect to the vehicle, the engine may be connected to a power take-olf drive shaft 1| (shown projecting from the right rather than from the left of the power take-off housing). and by moving the shifting fork arin1l rearwardly, the power take-9i! is disconnected and the engine may be connected to the rear driving wmels. A spring 12 connected to the end of the fork arm 1l and to a frame member normally urges thefork arm 1I to the rearward position in which the power take-oil' is disconnected from the engine and the rear wheels may be connected thereto.

A .brake rod 1I is provided' for operating the brakes with which the rear wheels are provided. The brake rod 1I is connected toa crank 14 on a shaft 1l, which in turn is connected by suitable linkage 1l, 11 to the rear wheel brakes. By pulling the brake rod 13 forward with respect to the'vehicle, the brakes are set.

Although only the rear wheels are shown in Fig. 2 as equipped with brakes. it is of course apparent that brakes may also be provided on the front wheels Il.

The brake ma 'n is connected aim :www:v

end to a crank 1l on a shaft 1l carrying the brake pedal 8l. When the brake pedal is pressed forward. the crank 1l is turned in a direction' to pull forward on the brake rod 1I and set the vehicle brakes.

A shift rod 8l is connected at one end to the fork arm 1l of the power take-oand at the other end to one endof an equalizing rod Il. The other end of the equalizing rod Il is formed with an opening through which the brake-rod 1I desirable to make such iirovision to prevent mislequipped with air brakes. but it is apparent that various modincatio'n's may be made without defrom the principle of the invention.

Referring now to ma.' 2 'or me drawing, nie

, invention is shown embodied in the chassis of a vehicle equipped with mechanically operated l brakes. The vehicle chassis shown in Fig. 2 comvchievous disengagement of the power take-off prises frame members il supported 'on iront wheels Il and rear wheels Il. The vehicle engine 4 is connected by its drive shaft to a conventional universal coupling with the rear wheel diiferen- 70l tial il, through which the rear wheels l! are driven. The power take-oi! Il may be constructed in the same mannergshown in Fig.j1 and described above.

The arm 1l ofv a shifting fork projects from lilv extends. A collar I8 is secured to the brake rod closely adjacent' the equalizing rod I2 on the side thereof toward which the brake rod must be moved to set the vehicle brakes. The equalizing rod l2 thus provides a mechanical connection between the shift rod Il of the power take-oi! and the brake rod`13.

A shift rod Il is connected at one end to the central portion of the equalizing rod l2I and at the other end to a lever located where itis readily accessible to the vehicle operator. When 'rneequaiizing rod may pivot siigmlyat the mid:` point where the shift rod Il' is connected.' so as to insure proper distribution 4between the fork arm 1l and the brake rod 1I of the -force applied through the lever II. When the lever Il is released. the spring 12 draws the fork arm 10 rearwardly. thus disconnecting the power take-olf drive shaft. from the engine and connecting the.

transmission drive shaft to the universal. coul pling. I'he shift rod 8i and the equaiizing rod t! are at the same time drawn rearwardly .by the action of the spring 12, so that the vehicle brakes may be released.

When the lever Il for effecting operation of the power take-o is released and the equalizing rod s! is thereby brought to its rearward pesiftion by the action of the spring 12, the brake rod absenoethevehiclewillbeset ".Ielaim:

.passesireelythroushtheopeninsintheendoi the. equalillng rod Il. The collar II, which is -sscuredonlytothebrakerominsuresthlatthe brake rod forward toits brakefsetting forward, but when thc-equalising rod is in its rearward position,.the collar It does not impede forward or rearward movement 'of the bra'ke rod Il to the extent necessary'to set or release the vehicle brakes.

As inthe-casco! the apparatus described I above in connection with Fig. i. the control lever Il may be arranged to receive s padlock or other form of key-operated lock so that lit may be locked in either' its forward position (in which the power take-olf is engaged and vvehicle brakes set) or in its rearward position.

Although a particular arrangement of levers and rodsror mechanically interconnecting the power take-oi! actuating means and the mechanij -cal brake-setting meansis shown in Fig. 2 and .speciilcally desci'ibedherein. it is understood 'that other forms oi' interconnection may bepiovided without departing ,from the prini l e wheels, aA compressed air-actuated device for ciple oi the invention. 'The herein described ting the vehicle brakes are such asto increase materially the safety with whichthe power takeoifmaybeusedforwith thebrakessetthereis vehicle operator may therefore absentxhimseli l arrangements for oper'- ating the power-take-oifand simultaneously setposition whenever the equallahig rod is drawn assunse r 4. In a vehicle of the character described ha'v-l ing a power take-on, compressed air-operated actuating means therefor, brakes, and compressedair-operated brake-setting means. the improve- .ment which comprises interconnecting means associated with said compressed air-operated -actuating means and said brake-setting means, and

actuating Y.means associated with the interconnccting means vadapted to actuate said com- Ypressed ain-operated actuating meansto eifect Aoperation of the power take-oif when compressed is supplied to said compressed air-operated actuating means whereby compressed air is also.

.supplied tothe brake-sottili! means to set the from the immediate vicinity of the vehicle (as his duties may require) without iear that-in his in motion.

- i. in a vehicle having an r wheels. axpowerftake-oif. means for selectively coupling the engine .with eitherthe power-.takeoilor tha-driving wheels, brakes for the wheels,

and means for 'setting the brakes, the improvement which comprises interconnecting means associatcd with said selective couplingmcans and brakes. f

ii.In a

coupling .the engine with either the driving wheels orthe power take-olf, and brakes for the operating said selective couplingmeansycompressed airoperated brake-setting means. an air line for supplying compressed air to said device for operating the selective coupling .means to couple the engine to the power take-oif, and a second air line connected to said iirst air line `and to the brakesetting means 'through which compressed air is supplied for operating the brakesetting means whenever compressed air is advmitteiltesaidiiistairline.

d. In a vehicle having an engine. driving y wheels, a power take-on, coupling means for sey lectively coupling the engine either tothe drivoii', brakes for the wheels, compressed air-actuated brake-setting means, and eysource of coinsald brake-setting means, and actuating means associatedwith the interconnecting means adapted. toactuate the brake-setting means to set Vs. m s vehicle-e: the ensrsereeseribed navting a power take-nii, actuating means therefor.

pressed air. an pair. line connecting' said compressed air source with said device for actuat? ing the selective coupling means, and a second setting means.V '1. In a vehicle having an engine, driving wheels. Va power take-om coupling .means for sebrakes. and brake-setting means, the improve.

' ment which comprises interconnecting means associated with the power take-oil actuatingl means .and the brake-setting means. and actuating means associated with the interconnecting: means adapted to actuate said power take-oil.' actunting means when thrown into position to cause actuation of the power take-ou whereby the brake setting means are coincidentally actuated to set the brakes.

s. In a vehicle having an chaine. driving' heels,

a power take-on', means for selectively coupling iectlvely coupling the'engine either to the driving wheels or to the power take-oil. a compressed air-operated device for actuatingsaid coupling means to couple the engine to the power take-ou. brakes for the wheels, compressed airactuated brake-setting means. and la source of compressed air, an air line connecting said conipresscd airsource with said device for actuating the selective coupling means, a second air line connecting said first air line to the brake-setting means, a double-action check valve interposed' in said second line, a brake control valvecoir nected to the compressed air source, and a third air line connecting said controlvalve to said double-action check valve, whereby compressed air may be admitted to the brake-setting means through the control valve and check valve without being admitted to the selective coupling actuating device, and compressed air may be admitted through the first air line to the selective means and said brake-setting means, and actuil coupling actuating device and to the brake-sethaving van engine..driving i wheels, a power take-olf, means for selectively :,esneee ting means without escaping through the brake control Valve.

air-operated actuatin; means therefor. brak. compressed air-operated bnke-settins means,

and a source oi' compressed eir, en air line conneeting'said source ot nccting seid check valve with said l:ralre-eetiing` e connecting said actuating line rethrough to the actuating means and through the brak

the oheck'valve to the brake-setting means without Meaning to the control valve.

12. In e 'chiel and'thereby engine to the power operate the brake-settin brakes.

13. In n vehicle oi' the character described havins n power take-oir, mechanically operated actheiuetor,A brakes, and mechancally operated brake-setting means, the improvement which comprises mechanically interth said actuating means and said brake-:settingv means, and actuathe mechanically into actuate the meg means to setthe power taketo operate the brake rod to set the brakes.

15. In e vehicle of the character described havingl power take-off, actuating means therefor, brakes. and a brake rod for' setting the brakes, comprising an equalizer rod connection provided by the equalincr rod, the brake md simultaneously is opertoset the brakes.

vehlcle'oi' the character described havmeans therefor, n brake rod for' setting the brakes. ing an equalizer rod at one end to said actuating means and having et its other end an opening through which the brake md extends, a collar secured to said brake red closely adjacent said equalizer md 0n the side thereof tow wd must rod in rel the la rod may be operated independently of the equalizing rod to set the HORAGI RUSS VAN VLECIK,V

take-01'! and ard which the brake 

